


With a Heavy Heart

by clandestinemeetingsinthetrees



Series: ZK Drabble December 2020 [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Grief/Mourning, Southern Water Tribe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27872629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clandestinemeetingsinthetrees/pseuds/clandestinemeetingsinthetrees
Summary: “Katara… how do you bear it?”Zuko comes to the SWT to attend Kanna's funeral.For ZK Drabble December day 3
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: ZK Drabble December 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040542
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19
Collections: ZK Drabble December 2020





	With a Heavy Heart

Katara watched as Zuko descended the steps of and was reminded of angry boy with a pony tail that came storming down their shores not so long ago.

“It was nice of you to come,” she said once he was in earshot. “I know you hate the South Pole.”

“Katara I don’t hate the South Pole. It’s more just cold in general.” 

Zuko stepped onto the dock and wrapped Katara in a hug. She could already feel him shivering under his large parka. “Please don’t let anyone around here think I hate the South Pole. You know Southern Water Tribe negotiations are rocky as it is, I don’t need the added rumors of me hating it.”

She offered him a feeble laugh and they walked along the dock, towards the village.

“I know you talked about Sokka’s building projects, but it’s so much bigger than the last time I was here.” Katara followed his eyes up the impressive watch tower that dominated the large wall of ice surrounding the coast. “I don’t even remember there being a harbor.” 

“Oh, there was a harbor, you must not have noticed it. I’ll give you a break though since you were attacking us.”

“Hmm, sorry about that again. I guess that really was the last time I came here. No wonder everyone in the Southern Water Tribe hates me.” 

“Not everyone. Sokka still has a soft spot for you.”

“What can I say, he’s just so easy to make fun of!” Sokka ran up to meet them and picked Zuko off the ground with a hug. “It’s good to see you buddy, wish it was under better circumstances.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, she was an amazing woman.”

Katara had almost forgotten why Zuko was there. Only for a moment but she felt the guilt intensely. Gran-Gran...

As they neared the center of town, she could see the gathering of her tribe, everyone had come out to say goodbye. The closer they got, the more her feet began to scrap against the ice until each step felt like a struggle. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to someone, not again.

…

After it was all over, night had fallen but the sky was alight with the dance of the southern lights. She stood at the edge of the water looking up at it in wonder, even after all these years the magic of the lights left her wonderstruck.

“I’ve always wanted to see the southern lights.” The voice comes from behind her and she turns to see Zuko. 

“I figured you’d still be hugging the fire.” She responded.

“I was worried about you. You’ve been out here for an hour, and it’s really cold.”

“Zuko, I was raised here, I think I can handle a bit of cold.”

He reached out and touched her hand. “You’re freezing, come on Katara you’re not even wearing gloves. Here,” he took off his gloves and wrapped his hands around hers. She wondered how he could still manage to give off so much heat in the chill of winter, it must be a firebender thing.

They stood like that for a while, hands intertwined, staring up at the dancing lights. “You know, the lights are supposed to be the spirits of our ancestors dancing it the skies.”

“Then it’s very fitting they’re dancing tonight.” Zuko looked back at her. “I’m really lucky to get to see them.”

“You know,” he continued, “I’ve been thinking, I know you came home to take care of Gran-Gran, and I’m not trying to pull you away from your here if you don’t want to, but if you want to, I wouldn’t mind having my favorite Ambassador back.”

That brought a smile to her face despite the sadness in her eyes. “What about my replacement? You shouldn’t just fire him because I’m free.”

“So, you’ll come?” 

“I didn’t say that. I have a lot on my mind. I think I need to stay home, at least for now. My family needs me, and as much as I’d love to run away and forget, that wouldn’t be fair to her.”

“I understand.” He pulled his hands away from her and she found herself instantly missing his warmth. She watched him start towards the village, but he turned back.

“Katara… how do you bear it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I see you do it for your mother, and you’ll do it for Kanna now too. You force yourself to remember, despite all the hurt that comes with that. I’ve never been strong enough, I always pushed my grief down, or masked it with anger. I never embraced it. I didn’t even think it was possible to do anything else, until I met you.”

Katara looked back towards the sea and thought.

Eventually, she turned back.

“With a heavy heart.”


End file.
